Rotary valving for internal combustion engines



1.. w. BEAVEN 2,795,216

ROTARY VALVING FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES June 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed July 6, 1955 I I l June 11, 1957 L. BEAVEN 2,795,216

' ROTARY VALVING FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 6, 1953 2 Shets-Sheet 2 ROTARY vALVrNo FoR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Leslie W. Beaven, Palatine, Ill.

Application July 6, 1953, Serial No. 366,294

2 Claims. (Cl. 123-47) This invention relates to improvements in valving for internal combustion engines of the rotary radial type and particularly the type covered in my patent of June 27, 1950, Number 2,512,909, in which the pistons spin about the crankpin, rotatably connected thereto by connecting rods, pitmans, or the like, while the cylinders spin about the main bearings, a linear movement between the cylinders and the pistons being effected by imparting rotary movement between the cylinders and the crankshaft.

These engines, sometimes called spinners, as contrasted to reciprocators, are capable of recovering energy from the exhaust gases by jet reaction, after expansion in the cylinders. They also make use of centrifugal force to aid charging and scavenging of the cylinders, and are air cooled.

The aforesaid patent describes rotary flat slide valves in which the sliding-valving surfaces are normal to the centrifugal forces and to those of the pressures of the burning gases. The sliding of the valves under these pressures, entails considerable friction loss, a fault shared in some measure by conventional reciprocating engines, in which the cam slides on the push rod while forcing the poppet valve open under the gas pressure.

It has been found that the friction load on the exhaust slide valve becomes particularly excessive at very high speed. Investigation disclosed the reason, confirmed by the formula of centrifugal force itself, viz., .000341WRn n being the revolutions per minute (R. P. M.). The formula states that the weight W and the radius R, efiect the force in a straight line ratio, as multipliers but the rotation n effects it by the double multiple of n. This means that if We change W or R from a value of one to ten we get ten times the force but if we change n from one to ten we get one hundred times the force.

This constitutes a serious obstacle to speeds in the turbine range. But the within invention circumvents this obstacle by taking these forces off of the sliding-valving surfaces, thereby better suiting their duties to their capabilities, principally valving, the bearing function being delegated to appropriate bearings, The valving elements are unique, in that they do not contain passages to be matched but form passages by matching notches or grooves of one element to those of the other.

In accordance with the objective of this invention, the valving surfaces are parallel to the said forces and are therefore unaffected by the forces which are objectionable in the aforesaid cases. Moreover, the thrust is taken on rolling bearings so that the friction losses are greatly reduced and a lighter drive can be employed. This also permits higher motor speeds, turbine speeds being an objective, attainable with piston engines so improved.

The high speed so obtained, lends itself effectively to the application of the jet reaction, which is much more efficiently applied to the engine than to the vehicle. For maximum reaction, the exhaust orifice should be moving away from the outgoing gases, at approximately gas Patented June 11, 1957 ice velocity, thereby depositing the gases into ambient space, devoid of velocity energy. On the other hand, the valve should run relatively slow. This is best accomplished by matching all the valve port pairs simultaneously so that each successive superposition represents one cycle of the engine (two turns of engine for four cycle, or one, for two cycle). Unless otherwise stated, the functions here described are to be considered as four cycle but it is the intent of applicant to apply the within means to any cycle desired since this is merely a matter of timing between the valve and engine rotations.

Nine pairs of ports are shown in each valve. A valve consists of two elements, a stator and a mating rotor. The intake valve, Fig. 3, isin the piston, passing the gases almost axially thru it. The exhaust valve, Fig. 1, is in the outer end of the cylinder, passing the gases eventually out of an exhaust orifice which is directed as described in my aforesaid patent, opposite to the rotation so that the reaction will assist the rotation of the cylinder from which the gases escape. The gases enter the engine at or near the center of rotation and move radially outward, escaping at the periphery, in a tangential direction, pin-wheel fashion. 7 j

Both valve rotors, intake" and exhaust, are preferably driven by the same shaft and at the same speed and preferably would have the same number of pairs of ports. The greater the number of port pairs, the slower the valve speed must be, so it becomes apparent that the valves could be made to run quite slow by having a large number of spaced pairs of ports. An uneven number of pairs was chosen here for illustration so that Fig. 2 could show a full open port opposite a full closure, as further exemplified in section, in Fig. 3. With a nine pair valve, one ninth of a turn of valve corresponds to two turns of engine. The relative speed then is, one-ninth, divided by two or one-eighteenth.

Ignition, not shown, is contemplated as being any suitable means, as by electric spark plug, by compression, or otherwise.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists of the features of novelty, in substantially the construction, combination and arrangements of the several parts, hereinafter described more fully, and taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, exemplifying this invention, in which: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section taken thru one cylinder of an engine of the type depicted in my said Patent 2,512,909, improved in accordance with the principles of the present invention and taken as in Fig. 1 of that patent, perpendicular to the engines axis of rotation. The exhaust valve is mounted in the cylinder end, and the piston is partly broken away to show one of the intake notches in the intake rotor. The piston is partway down from top dead center at exhaust full open position.

Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal section of the same cylinder, taken as in Fig. 6 of the said patent, thru the axis of rotation of the engine and shows the intake valve elements and related parts in the position of intake full open.

Fig. 3 is a view of the piston head and the end of the intake valve therein, taken on a line 33 of Fig. 2 and shows the ports in the valve rotor matching the ports in the piston which comprise the intake valve stator. The condition shown is, intake full open and it will be seen that all the ports register open at the same time. This is not a necessity but it favors quick passage of the gases. Progressive registry of successive ports (Vernierlike) can be accomplished by having a lesser (also a greater) number of ports in the stator than in the rotor so that one port or a set of two or more could be reglstered at a time. With this arrangement the ports get a heat dissipation period of one-half, two thirds, threefourths, or (N minus a) Nths of the time. An algebraic solution develops a general equation-revolutions of the valve equalone over d, divided by N times the quantity (N minus d), per registration. This covers all possible regular combinations from d equals zero to :1 equals plus or minus infinity. (1 represents any whole number which is the difference in the number of ports between the rotor and stator, when N is any positive whole number representing the number of ports in the rotor only. Fig. 3 shows the condition where N is nine and d is zero, where the two members have the same number of ports. Variation of the number of ports in this respectis important to achieve adaptability to the varied Operating conditions encountered in practice, i. e., all ports matched for high speed, few ports matched for high compression and torque. V

Fig. 4 is a section thru the full open position of any one of the matched pairs of intake ports, taken on a line 44 of Fig. 3, showing how the notches or grooves in the stator, match the notches in the rotor to form thru passages.

Fig. 5 is a section. thru full closed position of one of the settings of the intake valve corresponding with that indicated when the rotating'part of section 5.5 comes into 'alinement with the static part of section 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section thru full open positionof one of the exhaust valve port pairs. It is functionally identical with Fig. 4 of the intake pairs. These ports do not show in Fig. 1 because the ports in the exhaust stator lag 28 degrees behind those of the intake ports, which were placed to show in that section.

Figs. 7, 8, and 9 show graphically the orientation of the functions of the cycleconsidered, so labeled as to be self-explanatory.

The general contours of the exhaust and intake rotors are nearly identical in the Figures 1 and 2, which is a matter .of convenience in some respects but of necessity in respect to the number of ports as has already been shown. These rotors are preferably cylindrical plugshaped closure means, rotatably close fitted into corresponding bores in their respective stators, each preferably in axial alinement with its cylinder. The valving sur-- faces are then the outside diameter of the rotor and the contiguous inside diameter, of the mating stator and it is into these valving surfaces that the notches or grooves are cutyshaped in cross section much like the letter U but inverted in one member as to the mating member. The port forming notches or grooves are not cut clear across the mating valving surfaces but areso placed that when they come into rotational alinement the curved parts of the U-shaped contours overlaps eachother forming a passage which bypasses thru the mating member, a part of the plug not cut across by the notches or grooves, which said part functions-as a seal when not by-passed.

The complete passage is then an angular one transverse to the concentric cylindrical valving surfaces.

The rotors and the stators have seats for their respective thrust bearing means and the rotors have an axial hole for the reception of a valve driver shaft, all as shown in the drawings.

It is a matter of importance'to establish the relationship of the intake valve to that of the exhaust. In the aforesaid patent the cycle was, and so remains in this: intake opens 40 degrees early, closed 62 degrees late, duration 282 degrees; exhaust opens 76 degrees early, closes 26 degrees. late, duration 282 degrees. This would mean that the engine would have to turn 504' degrees from intake full open to exhaust full open. This divided by 18 would give 28 degrees of valve turn that the exhaust valve registration must lag the intake valve registration, for such a cycle. It is not claimed or disclaimed that this cycle will in all cases prove the best cycle for the purpose. The figures given are only for example.

The drawings illustrate the slots 10 in the intake rotor 11 as vertically under the slots 12 in the exhaust valve rotor 13. Therefore the slots 14 in the exhaust stator 15 in the cylinder head 16 are 28 degrees later than the slots in the intake stator of the piston 17, meaning that while the two rotors are vertically alined in respect to the slots and the drive shaft, the two stators are. not. That takes care of the lag.. In the patent referred to, the lag was handled in the rotors. The directions of turn, of valves, and of engine are indicated by arrows.

Referring to Fig. 1, the cylinder barrel 19 is shown crimped into and rolled over the cylinder head 16 and may be welded thereto or otherwise securely fastened. Two thrust bearings, preferably of the roller type, exhaust roller bearing, inner-20 and exhaust roller bearing, outer-21 are carried by the cylinder head 16,. each being recessed into the cylinderhead and provided with a lip against which their forces can be fulcrumed. Stop 22 resists the centrifugal forces and those of combustion while. stop 23 resists the suction and gravitational forces which sometimes may predominate. A nut 24 and a locknut 25 permit drawing. the two bearing cones together until little or no play remains and the valve is brought to location upon the bearing races and locked there.

Alike arrangement is provided for the intake rotor 11, the intake roller bearing, outer-26, having a stop 27 and the intake roller bearing, inner-23, having a stop. 29, 27 taking the thrust of the combustion gases and 29 taking the centrifugal forces. A nut 30 and a lookout 31 are also provided to draw the said bearings up until they are properly seated upon the bearing races.

The cylinder head 16 covers the outer end of the cylinderbarrel 19. It carries the exhaust valve thrust bearings 20 and 21 and the exhaust valve rotor 13. It contains' the exhaust valve stator 15 with its nine exhaust port slots 14 and the exhaust annulus 33 which receives the gases from the ports 14 and releases them thru a jet reaction exhaust pipe 34.

A valve driver shaft 32 passes axially thru the intake valve and fits. axially into the exhaust valve. It is slip fitted to the intake valve so that the latter may slide lengthwise upon the shaft and at the same time remain reasonably gastight. The shaft is shown hexagonal. in cross section but could as well be square or splined or otherwise formed and fitted so as to maintain itself against rotation with reference to the valve so that the valves are forced to turn with it. It is of smaller dimension than the valve driver shaft shown in the patent because the torque load is now much less. This shaft 32 is driven by the engine in any suitable manner, one of which is shown in the said prior patent and in timed relation thereto so that the aforesaid functions of the engine cycle are maintained.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that certain modifications and changes can be made without departing from the true spirit of the invention and it is intended that such changes shall come within the scope of the invention, best defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A valving arrangement for controlling intake, forces of compression and the scavenging of an internal combustion engine of the rotary radial type having at least one cylinder, piston and head, comprising a rotor and stator in each said piston and head, the outer and inner peripheries of which are substantially parallel to one another and axially in line with the major forces of compression acting on said rotors and stators, a plurality of corresponding groovelike passageways extending at least partially across said peripheries, said passageways being uniformly spaced at angular displacements of less than degrees, end portions only of said passageways overlapping when in register to form substantially straight linear thru ports between said rotors and stators, the longitudinal axes of which extend in directions such that their major vector components are in line with the said major forces of compression acting on the rotors and stators, and means for rotating said rotors and stators in timed relation to the said piston whereby said thru ports are established and closed in continuously repeated cycles.

2. A valving arrangement for an internal combustion engine of the rotary radial type, as claimed in claim 1, in which said passageways are tapered and of complement-ary substantially U-shaped cross section, the curved inner ends of which are disposed to overlap when in register.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Martin Aug. 23, 1910 Cofiin July 16, 1912 Ofeldt Sept. 14, 1926 Rymer Mar. 6, 1928 Aspin June 17, 1941 Beaven June 27, 1950 Man Dec. 12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Nov. 12, 1951 

